Toro Rosso leaves Ferrari for Renault engines

Toro Rosso announced on Sunday that it would run on Renault engines from next year onwards, in a deal which will end its seven-year association with current supplier Ferrari.

Announced in Monaco ahead of the race, the long-term partnership between the Italian team and the French manufacturer however was "not a foregone conclusion".

“We carefully considered what is best for all parties before concluding the agreement,” Renault Sport F1 president Jean-Michel Jalinier said. “Toro Rosso is a well-run, established team, with strong personnel and facilities giving the team the potential to be a regular points contender.”

Renault also supplies engines to Red Bull, which has won the last three drivers’ and constructors’ championships, with the its team principal stating that strategically the deal “makes perfect sense” as it "enables synergies between Red Bull and Renault to continue to grow.”

Formula 1 faces a big challenge next year when cars switch from 2.4-litre V8 engines to turbo-charged 1.6-litre V6s.

“It is particularly important that we have managed to finalise our plans early, so that we can be as well prepared as possible for next year,” Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said adding gratitude to Ferrari, which has been supplying engines to the squad since 2007.